Last week the wireless world gathered in Barcelona for the annual rite of passage known as Mobile World Congress. As usual, the show was dominated by new smartphones and a mixture of devices that ran the gamut from the cool to the unusual:
The #runcible? Really? Named after a nonsense word to boot! #mwc2015 #edwardlear http://t.co/Jd7YxUaKTU pic.twitter.com/V5gyJVZNbR
— D.P. Venkatesh (@dpv007) March 5, 2015
Runcibles aside, though, there was other news that came out of the show that showed mobile is now much more than just devices. It’s now about connecting everyone in an almost limited number of ways.
Here are five big things that came out of Mobile World Congress that show just how much we’ve evolved over the past few years, and how everything truly is becoming a connected experience.
The discussion of the next billion smartphone users turns to new technologies
Globally, the smartphone market has not yet reached a saturation point – there are still plenty of customers to be targeted. How do companies reach them? This question has been asked at the past few Mobile World Congresses, but this year the answers were slightly different. Now, the focus is on increasing spectrum and new wireless network technologies like LTE-Unlicensed, which allows LTE cells to operate over radio waves typically used by Wi-Fi networks – another testament to the importance and ubiquity of Wi-Fi.
Mobile marketing and advertising is serious business
This was the most marketer-friendly Mobile World Congress ever. Discussions of how to monetize social media and mobile ads were everywhere. In fact, for the first time ever, Mobile World Congress devoted an entire day to mobile marketing, highlighted by discussions on mobile marketing trends, success stories, and new technologies to help marketers achieve their goals. That’s a big deal for an event that was once primarily known for being a technology-driven show, and it shows how important marketing has been for mobile, and vice-versa.
Connected cars rev up
Forget about a potential iCar — automakers are already moving into the wireless space in a big way. Mobile World Congress no doubt looked like a BMW or Mercedes showroom, as automobile manufacturers displayed wireless dashboard features dedicated to safety, entertainment and, of course, communication. In fact, according to Business Insider, the car dashboard is poised to become the next great wireless revenue generator.
Another major entrant into the mobile payments race
Mobile payments got their spotlight in Barcelona. Samsung announced Samsung Pay, a shot across the bow at Apple and Google, signifying yet another big mobile organization throwing its weight behind the concept of mobile payments.
Wearables are in fashion
Unsurprisingly, wearable devices were all the rage this year. Smartwatches, fitness trackers, even virtual reality headsets were all on full display. In turn, there were many companies showing off new applications to run on those devices. As I pointed out last week, the market for wearables is only just starting. Developers may want to get on the ground floor and begin taking advantage of it now.
More than ever, Mobile World Congress drove home the point that everything truly is connected. We saw that mobile has become more than just “wireless.” It’s Wi-Fi, Internet of Things, and the cloud. It’s smartphones, cars, and watches. It’s technology and marketing. It’s all of these things – and so much more.
Want to learn more about the future of mobile, and how we can help you leverage it? Email me, or contact us.
Cheers,
D.P.
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